Method for displaying message of a mobile terminal and mobile terminal using the same

Abstract

A method for displaying a message in a mobile terminal. The method includes selecting a message history option on an input unit of the mobile terminal, displaying a list of messages, and displaying a message type of at least one message included in the displayed list of messages.

1. A method for displaying a message in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 selecting a message history option on an input unit of the mobile terminal; 
 displaying a list of messages; 
 recognizing a message type of at least one message included in the displayed list of messages based on user-specific transmission and reception history corresponding to the at least one message; and 
 displaying the message type. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of displaying the message type displays the message type for each message in the displayed list of messages. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 entering a message search mode to search for the list of messages based on the step of selecting the message history option, 
 wherein the step of displaying the list of messages and the displaying the message type display the list of messages and the message type after the message search mode has been entered. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the message search mode includes at least one of a receiving message search mode for searching for a list of received messages and a transmitting message search mode for searching for a list of transmitted messages. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message type includes at least one of a reply message, a forward message, and a new message. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of displaying the message type displays the message type using at least one of an icon, a text and a symbol. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting the displayed message type from the displayed list of message types; and 
 displaying messages and message types that are related to the selected message type. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the step of recognizing the message type recognizes, when the message is a received message, the message type as a reply message using message type information defined in the message, using keywords included in contents of the message, or using a predetermined reply time period between when the received message was received and when a message corresponding to the received message was transmitted. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the step of recognizing the message type recognizes, when the message is a transmitted message, the message type as a reply message using message type information defined in the message, using keywords included in contents of the message, or using a predetermined reply time period between when the transmitted message was transmitted and when a message corresponding to the transmitted message was received. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting the at least one displayed message or the corresponding displayed message type; and 
 executing a message history option for displaying a message history of the selected message. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of executing the message history option comprises:
 displaying a first message and at least a second message included in the message history of the selected message in a time order series. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of executing the message history option comprises:
 displaying a first message and at least a second message included in the message history of the selected message based on an address of a mobile terminal that produced the first message. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of executing the message history option comprises:
 displaying a pop-up menu including the option for displaying the message history of the selected message. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of executing the message history option comprises:
 automatically displaying the message history of the selected message when a button on the terminal is manipulated. 
 
     
     
       15. A mobile terminal, comprising:
 a communication unit configured to wirelessly communication with at least one other terminal; 
 a display unit configured to display information; 
 an input unit configured to input information into the mobile terminal; and 
 a control unit configured to control the display unit to display a list of messages, to recognize a message type of at least one message included in the displayed list of messages based on user-specific transmission and reception history corresponding to the at least one message, and to display the message type based on a message history instruction input on the input unit. 
 
     
     
       16. The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display the message type for each message in the displayed list of messages. 
     
     
       17. The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the input unit is further configured to receive input to enter a message search mode to search for the list of messages, and
 wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display the list of messages and the message type after the message search mode has been entered. 
 
     
     
       18. The mobile terminal of  claim 17 , wherein the message search mode includes at least one of a receiving message search mode for searching for a list of received messages and a transmitting message search mode for searching for a list of transmitted messages. 
     
     
       19. The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the message type includes at least one of a reply message, a forward message, and a new message. 
     
     
       20. The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display the message type using at least one of an icon, a text and a symbol. 
     
     
       21. The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the input unit is further configured to receive an input signal corresponding to a selection of the displayed message type from the displayed list of message types, and
 wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display messages and message types that are related to the selected message type. 
 
     
     
       22. The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to recognize, when the message is a received message, the message type as a reply message using message type information defined in the message, using keywords included in contents of the message, or using a predetermined reply time period between when the received message was received and when a message corresponding to the received message was transmitted. 
     
     
       23. The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to recognize, when the message is a transmitted message, the message type as a reply message using message type information defined in the message, using keywords included in contents of the message, or using a predetermined reply time period between when the transmitted message was transmitted and when a message corresponding to the transmitted message was received. 
     
     
       24. The mobile terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the control unit is further configured to receive an input selecting for selecting the at least one displayed message or the corresponding displayed message type, and
 wherein the control unit is further configured to execute a message history option for displaying a message history of the selected message. 
 
     
     
       25. The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display a first message and at least a second message included in the message history of the selected message in a time order series. 
     
     
       26. The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display a first message and at least a second message included in the message history of the selected message based on an address of a mobile terminal that produced the first message. 
     
     
       27. The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display a pop-up menu including the option for displaying the message history of the selected message. 
     
     
       28. The mobile terminal of  claim 24 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the display unit to display automatically display the message history of the selected message when a button on the terminal is manipulated.